17 July 2014
During a routine inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014. The inspection was announced.
Allied Healthcare Bridlington provides a domiciliary care service to people who live in their own home. They currently provide a service for approximately 200 people with a variety of care needs, including older people and people with a physical disability. They employ approximately 70 care staff and, in addition to this, they employ care coordinators who help to manage the service.
At the last inspection of the service on 19 September 2013 we found that the provider had met the standards that we reviewed.
There was a registered manager in post as the time of this inspection; they registered with the Commission on 6 August 2012. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.
People told us they felt safe whilst staff were in their home. We found that staff had a good knowledge of how to keep people safe from harm and that there were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Staff had been employed following robust recruitment and selection processes.
Some people received assistance with taking their medication. All staff had completed training on how to use the medication system and all of the people we spoke with said they were satisfied with the way in which they were supported with this task.
People’s nutritional needs had been assessed and people told us they were satisfied with the support they received with the preparation of meals and drinks.
People were involved in developing their plan of care and had their own copy. Staff recorded what they had done at each visit so that there was always an up to date record of the support provided to each person and their current care needs. People told us they were happy with the support they received from care workers and the agency had arrangements in place to seek the feedback from people about the care they received.
Staff received a range of training opportunities and told us that they had supervision and staff meetings with a manager. They said that they were well supported and that this helped them to deliver effective care.
There were quality monitoring systems in place and there was evidence that the registered provider and manager learned from incidents that had occurred. However, some people told us the agency was not well managed and that staff were not as professional as they should be.